Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) Paramount/Action-Adventure-Comedy RT: 99 minutes Rated PG (action, some violence, rude humor, brief mild language) Director: Jeff Fowler Screenplay: Pat Casey and Josh Miller Music: Tom Holkenborg Cinematography: Stephen F. Windon Release date: February 14, 2020 (US) Cast: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, Lee Majdoub, Neal McDonough, Natasha Rothwell, Melody Niemann, Frank C. Turner. Box Office: $149M (US)/$320M (World)
Rating: ** ½
The most surprising thing about Sonic the Hedgehog, a live-action/CGI adaptation of the popular video game by SEGA, is that it isn’t terrible. I had every reason to expect otherwise. For one thing, movies based on video games have a bad track record. I can cite several titles to back this up- Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat, the two Tomb Raider movies with Angelina Jolie and Assassin’s Creed, to name just a few. Second, it’s been playing hopscotch all over the calendar for two years. When a movie is repeatedly delayed like this, it’s almost always a sure sign of a stinker. It was pulled from last year’s schedule at the last minute in response to criticism over the titular character’s changed appearance in the trailer. Fans didn’t like his new human-like look so Sony delayed it for a complete character overhaul. The special effects team redesigned Sonic to make him look more like the beloved character from the video game. Maybe they should have hired these guys to try and fix Cats. The final clincher is the movie landing in theaters in February. All signs pointed to a bleak viewing experience.
I didn’t expect Sonic the Hedgehog to be any different. I figured I was in for a painful 99 minutes. Much to my astoundment, it didn’t hurt as badly as I thought it would. It’s relatively painless compared to other video game movies. It has a plot reminiscent of E.T., Starman and other 80s-era sci-fi adventures aimed at young audiences. After an opening explaining how super-speedy blue hedgehog Sonic came to be on planet Earth and how he’s gone unnoticed for ten years, we get into the plot which centers on Green Hills, MT sheriff Tom Wachowski (Marsden, Cyclops from the X-Men movies) trying to keep Sonic safe from evil lunatic genius Dr. Robotnik (Carrey, Dumb and Dumber) after accidentally knocking out the entire power grid in the Pacific Northwest.
Sonic enjoys his life on our planet, but he’s awful lonely. He longs to make friends. He’s been watching Tom and his veterinarian wife Maddie (Sumpter, Ride Along 1 & 2) for quite some time. In a stroke of unoriginality, Tom longs to leave his small, dull hometown for the excitement of big city life in San Francisco where he just got hired as a police officer. He’s preparing to move when he finds Sonic hiding in his shed. He accidentally shoots him with a tranquilizer gun which causes the blue alien to lose his bag of magic rings. Each ring opens a portal to another place, whatever place Sonic is thinking of at the time. The rings end up on the roof of a tall building in San Francisco. After Robotnik shows up at his home asking questions, Tom agrees to drive Sonic to San Francisco to retrieve his property so he can escape to another planet.
Although it’s been around for nearly 30 years, I’ve never once played the game. I don’t know the rules of the Sonic universe. Prior to the movie, I could identify the character by sight and his ability to run at supersonic speed, that’s it. I probably missed a few things in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. In fact, I know I did. For example, a certain character shows up in a mid-credits scene. The kids in the audience oohed and aahed. I had to ask somebody who it was. Okay, I knew going in that some of it would be lost on me. Movies like this are made with fans in mind. The makers assume that a huge majority of attendees play the game (or used to). Despite this, I opted NOT to skip Sonic the Hedgehog like I did the last Angry Birds movie. While I can’t say it was a life-changing decision, I don’t regret my choice either. It’s actually kind of fun, kind of.
The cast of Sonic the Hedgehog clearly knows they’re not making Citizen Kane or anything remotely close. They know it’s a goof and act accordingly. Carrey’s character is like the evil twin of Ace Ventura with a silly fake mustache. He brings his trademark manic energy to the role of the villain known as “Eggman” in the game. Marsden is a little bland as the human lead; he’s often overshadowed by his CGI co-star played by Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) in a motion-capture performance.
But what does it matter? Nobody really cares about the acting in Sonic the Hedgehog. In order to fully understand the intended appeal, you must put yourself in the mindset of a 9 or 10YO. At that age, they don’t think about the finer qualities of fine cinema. They want to be entertained. They want to be amused. That being the case, I suppose Sonic the Hedgehog works. None of it is especially original. The direction by first-timer Jeff Fowler is fairly flat. The storyline is uninspired. Same goes for the special effects. KIDS DON’T CARE! They’re there for action and silly humor. The movie has plenty of both. The whole thing is silly actually. It’s like a live-action cartoon at times.
If you ask a 10YO, Sonic the Hedgehog is a great movie. If you ask the parent that took him/her, it’s not. If you ask me, it’s better than it has a right to be. It’s harmless really; you could do worse. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but it’s not a condemnation either. I suppose that counts for something.
